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Shouldn’t Those Demanding “Put Up or Shut Up” be Willing to “Put Up?”

by lewwaters

“reasonable voters don’t see truth-telling as a sleazy maneuver at all” Columbian Editorial, October 11, 2009

The above quote was in reference to now incumbent mayor Tim Leavitt allegations of supporters of his opponent exposing his lack of voting over the years, Leavitt calling it a “sleazy maneuver” to let the public know something truthful about him.

But in this election it would appear that the Columbian, better known here as the Lazy C, has flipped on that position and now is the one expressing that exposing candidates and supporters is sleazy. Candidates that support positions they favor, that is.

As shown in the post The Little Paper That Cries Wolf, there is a recently formed group of concerned citizens and business owners that has been making noise and apparently, in spite of making a couple errors in navigating the complicated world of political rules, this group of political novices seems to be worrying some supporting the special interests in our fair city.

One such supporter, David Nierenberg has drawn favor from the Lazy C for his rhetoric filled rant in an email he shared publicly and the Lazy C was gracious enough to share, in an effort to smear those pushing back on the special interests.

The gist of the post from the Lazy C indicates that philanthropist Ed Lynch is fed up with the Republican Party and told them he will no longer donate funds to them, presumably due to new party leaders and their support of efforts pushing back against special interests in the community.

Prominently included is David Nierenberg’s email, filled with rhetoric against Vancouver Vitality and possibly those who support the group as well, since he is sure to include a threat towards the end.

Nierenberg claims,

“Calling Ed Lynch a ‘special interest’ and linking him with ‘continued corruption’ displays a shocking disregard for the truth about one of the finest and most selfless benefactors of our community, a man who for decades has shown us how to make ours a better community for all of us.”

Before I continue I must note that whatever Ed Lynch, or anybody for that matter, chooses to do with their money is their business. It’s theirs to do with as they please.

But apparently that courtesy is not extended to others within the community as for a few years now we have seen successful businessman and current County Commissioner David Madore the subject of some very heinous name-calling, linked to causes and candidates he does not support and demeaned in some of the worst ways you can imagine.

But no one like Nierenberg complains about that, only that elderly Ed Lynch has been pointed out as a supporter of special interest group Forward Vancouver and candidates supporting the Columbia River Crossing light rail project.

Why this would anger anybody escapes me since even Vancouver Forward lists Mr. Lynch’s name prominently on their flyers, along with Mr. Nierenberg’s.

Since he comes from New Jersey, he is pretty quick to indicate his knowledge of “corruption,” and claims he sees none here, even though several citizens have been decrying what can only be described as a corrupt project since the CRC has for years worked to ignore citizen votes against their agenda, pushing Portland, Oregon’s financially troubled light rail into our community, has sucked up some $175 Million of taxpayer funds, some $20 Million unable to be accounted for and some candidates support the recently voted for or are in agreement with the C-Tran Board of Directors approving entering into a binding contract with Portland’s TriMet that allows Portland to set toll rates Washington drivers will have to pay to cross the river and hand rights of eminent domain in Clark County over to TriMet through C-Tran.

They support incumbent mayor Tim Leavitt, now famously known for his quick flip flop on fighting tolls after winning the election in 2009 on claims of he would fight tolls.

They support ousting city council member Jeanne E. Stewart even though in her 12 years sitting on the city council, she has been the lone voice standing up for citizens over those special interests, until 2011 when Bill Turlay was added to the council.

Several promises of citizens being allowed to vote have been made and were quickly cast aside, either by being denied such a vote or the results being ignored, the CRC meeting the approval of special interests.

But Mr. Nierenberg sees no corruption while many in the community do.

Somehow the Lazy C’s Stephanie Rice deduces and claims that Vancouver Vitality has declared Mr. Lynch himself “Corrupt,” even though she presents no factual documentation of anybody making such an allegation against him.

Yes, he has been identified as a donor and supporter of special interests like Forward Vancouver, but didn’t Forward Vancouver prominently show his name first?

So far, no one has shown anywhere that Vancouver Vitality or CRCFacts.info has actually made such an allegation, but the rhetoric from commenters in support of the CRC is overflowing in vitriol against them.

One such comment from a Tim Schauer includes,

“Refusing to conform to another’s view does not make one corrupt. It smacks more of intolerance and a lack if decency and it strikes me as un-American.”

Mayor Leavitt, on his re-election facebook page states,

“I want to thank David Nierenberg for standing up for Ed Lynch who is truly one of the finest and most honorable members of our community. No matter what your political views are, we can all agree that making personal attacks on such a fine citizen is reprehensible.”

After being reminded of years of vitriolic labeling of those who oppose the CRC that appeared on a regular basis in the pages of the Lazy C, Identity Clark County president Paul Montague replied on his facebook page,

“You and your cohort have proven the point that you have no sense of common decency.”

Those terms, “M&M Boys,” “Hounds of Whinerville,” “Ankle Biters,” “Cockroaches,” “Banana (build absolutely nothing anywhere near anything)” and “Political Piranhas” is justified by former editorial page editor, John Laird who penned most of them, as “comedic hyperbole” and now somehow proves that I have no sense of common decency, after bringing them up.

I also received a copy of the email from CRCFacts.info that David Nierenberg apparently replied to and nowhere do I see anything other than they point out what was written on Forward Vancouver’s flyers against Mayoral candidate Bill Turlay, pointing out the untruthful nature of some claims made and who is shown as top donors.

In fact, the false claim is actually made by Forward Vancouver in claiming Commissioner Madore is paying for ads against Tim Leavitt, which PDC reports clearly show is untrue.

But David Nierenberg seems to have no problem with that untruth, only that it was pointed out that philanthropist Ed Lynch was properly and truthfully identified as a donor and support of special interests.

Incidentally, it is his right to support whoever he wishes, but it is also the rights of opponents to point out what special interests state on their own flyers.

And like it or not, Mr. Nierenberg, many in Clark County see the CRC as “continued corruption” and have been calling for not only a vote but, for an independent investigation into the appearance of possible criminal conduct associated, especially with some $20 Million unaccounted for.

How you, a successful businessman sees no problem there makes one wonder.

In closing I can only say, while I may not come from New Jersey, I do come from the Southeast Coast of Florida where much of that New Jersey corruption reaches down to.

The air of corruption surrounding this project reeks.

But if you have actual evidence of Ed Lynch being called “corrupt,” then I challenge you to “Put Up.”